Giotto's Memories
by xDarkTempest
Summary: As a boy, Giotto lived a harsh life. Surviving through the deaths of his parents, he slowly learns to meet friends and make family along the path he never knew he would walk.
1. The Sorrow Filled Past

**Thanks for reading this story if you clicked! This is my second Fanfiction story, but it was released about the same time.**

**The story is about the suffering of Giotto (Vongola Primo), and how he met his friends and created the Vongola with the intent of protecting others.**

**Giotto is in an adoption home. His parents dead from a fire. I know it didn't really make any sense. My friend made _a lot_ of constructive hardcore criticism, so the chapter is going to be better now.**

**I will update about twice a week for this story, if I can get the chance.**

**Constructive Criticism greatly accepted. I need to write better!**

**Thanks to Hajimeru Rinko for giving me advice on how to write my stories. I will paragraph them now!**

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**_**Giotto's Memories**_

_Giotto stared past the broken rubble, gazing into space. __Gazing into emptiness. __Behind the 7-year old boy was his old house. The beautiful tile flooring, the velvet curtains, the majestic pillars, all destroyed... Everything Giotto held dear to him was gone. The walls were burned to only gravel. The lush gardens...now ashes. __The horrible fate that had befallen the boy had stolen his most deared, loved thing in the world. His parents. __The blonde boy had tried, he had tried so hard to get the pillar off them. __He remembered the sweat that raced down his face, the giant flames that started to envelop them. __"Honey...go. We love you!" were the last words Giotto ever heard from his parents._

_A neighbor had seen the fire, and called the police. __They had came and put it out, and a crowd of people had arrived on the scene. __Among the remains of the destroyed mansion were the dead corpses of his parents. __Whispers were murmured around the crowd. __"That poor boy." "Is he all alone?" "They should have came earlier...maybe then..." __People stood there, waiting for a long time. A TV truck came, and people hopped out, cameras armed at their side. __Around the blonde-haired boy were many people dressed in red uniforms. __One of them had walked up to Giotto._

_There were several long moments of silence, and then the man sat down on the grass next to the blonde boy, and patted his back. _"_You all right kid?" Giotto took no notice of this. __Collapsing on his knees, tears began to stream from Giotto's face. __What happened? What happened?_


	2. An Unexpected Happening

**Thank you for reading! For those of you who have read this when it was published, I really appreciate that. I also apologize because I have been editing too much and it confuses people. To clarify, this chapter has more detail, and I made it a bit longer.**

**My friend told me to write better, so that's why I changed it. **

**The original first chapter has been seperated into 2-3 chapters. **

**This is the second one.**

**Thanks to Hajimeru Rinko for giving me some advice. I will now paragraph my stories. To clarify, the 4 chapters I have now are actually the original two chapters before. However, I added more detail due to a review from Jigglypuff's pillow. I apologize for any inconvenience. For those of you who have alerted to my story, thank you, but I'm sadly a new member ,and all these confusing things about updating and stuff are making me dizzy. Anyways, hope the paragraphing works better for you guys. Also, paragrpahs in italics are usually flashbacks.**

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_**Giotto's Memories**_

The sound of shouts and screams were heard around the nursery. "Hey, give me that toy!", "What's wrong with you?", and "Shut up!" were clearly the ruckus the kids were causing. Among the madness sat a young blonde boy, Giotto, who just sat quietly and looked out the window. His stare was empty, but if you looked at him closely you would notice that this boy had fear, sadness, and pain in his eyes. The room he lived in was tiny. A small wooden table with a stool, a miniscule bed, and a window. At night, Giotto would toss and turn, and be unable to fall asleep. He would think about his old life, and memories would flood in his mind. The beautiful house, the vast forest behind it, and a crystalline lake, from which a person could drink from. All gone. The blonde boy remembered everything that had happened as if it was just yesterday.

_When it was beginning to get dark, the crowd seperated and went their own ways. A group of policemen had pointed at Giotto, and motioned for him to come over. __Struggling to stand up, the 7-year old boy finally walked over the the group. __"Kid, we know it's really tough for you, but we're going to start a new life, and you'll be able to make new friends!" one of them said. __"You'll be sent to an adoption home. A lot of other children are like you." another one exclaimed. __They continued to rant on about this for a while. __Giotto could only nod his head, and stare back at the destroyed mansion._

"Everybody! Exercise time!" Lady Garcia called out from the first floor. It was raining heavily outside, and a shiver went up the boy's back. But it wasn't from the cold. Hugging his chest, Giotto slowly walked down the stairs and opened the front door. A flood of kids pushed past him and smirked. "The jerk's got to hold the door again!" a tough looking kid said. A group of children surrounding him howled with laughter. Giotto could only stare at the floor, and wipe his eyes. Outside the rain had gone down, but this didn't make things any better.

The front lawn was full of activities and things for children to participate in. There was a mini playground with a slide, a swing set, and monkey bars. The kids would normally play after the exercise, which took only about 15 minutes. Lady Garcia taught them foot techniques and hand rotation, and everyone followed. Giotto tripped now and then, and ended up being laughed it. After the daily stretches, the tough kid walked up to Giotto again. Again, there were a group of kids surrounding him. A couple kids seemed worried, but the majority of them nodded and repeated their leader's words.

Giotto knew he would be tormented again. The majority of the children here were older than him, and their parents had died because of violence. Drug abuse, alchohol, gangs, guns. This adoption home was full of kids who's Dads go to jail. The blonde boy was shoved to the ground, and pounded again and again. Blood ran down his face, but he made no effort to show resistance.

Punch after punch. Kick after kick. Giotto's body was beaten, and scratches covered his entire body. The blonde boy was saved by Lady Garcia who noticed them. As she came running over, the gang leader and his group departed. "You got lucky," he said. The leader then proceeded to spit on Giotto's face. Blood and tears leaked down from the blonde boy's eyes. The teardrops hit the ground, shattering into a million pieces. Just like his hopes and dreams, Nothing could change what happened. Giotto knew that.

Lady Garcia finally arrived, and pulled Giotto into an embrace. "Poor boy...Poor boy..." she said over and over, hugging him tightly. After a long time, Lady Garcia carried Giotto inside, and sat him next to the fire. The blonde boy could only stare in front of him, and cry.

During dinner, Lady Garcia tapped her glass with her spoon. "Attention! I need everybody's attention!" The kids quieted down and stared at her. It was not often that she made a speech. Lady Garcia cleared her throat and nodded. "Well...I want to have everybody know that we DO NOT tolerate bullying in this house!" She pointed at Giotto. The tough boy's face was white as a ghost, and he hid back in his seat. "Keith here, as we would say it 'beat up' poor Giotto! Do you have any sense?" Everyone stared at the tormentor. He didn't look so cool now, and he ran away from the table. Giotto picked at his meatloaf and potatoes, and layed his head on the table.

The last thing he remembered was being carried upstairs and falling asleep.

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**I do apologize again for the confusion. For those of you have read the first chapter already, I decided to split it into longer sections. The main idea is of course the same, but Lady Garcia is nice, and Giotto stays for another day.**

**If you read the story, please take your time to review. It will only take a little bit! Thanks a lot!**

**Thanks,**

**xDarkTempest**


	3. Taking Action

**Once again, I apologize for the confusion. Thanks to Hajimeru Rinko for her positive advice on my story, and for taking her/his time to send a message!**

**Please Enjoy the story. Next time I update it will most likely be the next chapter. If not, I will probably message those who read my story. Thanks again!**

**If you haven't read this when it first was published, then ignore me.**

**Anyways, enjoy the story and read on!**_**Giotto's Memories**_

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Giotto woke up on his bed, feeling a bit sad at yesterday's incident. Clouds littered the dark sky, waiting to cast a downpour on someone. The blonde boy lay in bed a little longer, and heard a knock on his door. "Are you awake?" Lady Garcia's voice. There was a moment of silence, but Giotto mumbled a yes. The sound of a door's creak could be heard, and Lady Garcia walked over to the boy's bedside. "I brought you breakfast," she said. "Today's your favorite. Chocolate chip pancakes, pan-fried bacon sizzled to perfection, and sunny-side up eggs." "Thanks, but not hungry..." Giotto replied.

Lady Garcia stared at him for a long time, and the smell of delicious food wafted into Giotto's nose, forcing him to let out a stomach grumble. They both just sat there, and then burst out laughing. After both of them had calmed down, the blonde boy picked up his food and began eating. While Giotto nibbled on pancakes, Lady Garcia told him some funny jokes, and they both laughed some more. When he finished, her face became serious. "Giotto...If those boys tease you again, come tell me. I will make sure they won't get away with it this time. The thing is, Keith's Dad is in the Mafia, which obviously leads him to be a bad example." The boy nodded and thanked her.

Outside, the rain had drizzled down again, and Giotto sat on a swing set. He could see Keith pointing at him, and whispering to the others. After yesterday, the group had gone down, and they were all afraid to mess with the young blonde boy again because of Lady Garcia. However, Keith and his group were talking about him. "That loser needs his little 'momma' to protect him." "That kid has serious problems." "Only emo kids hang out on swings." They did not physically inflict pain upon Giotto, but in his heart the blonde boy could feel a crack. After a while of this constant insulting, everyone went in. But not before insulting him one more time.

Giotto's mind told him to do something. _Fight Back, _it told him. Giotto would not fight. He would not become like _them_. As the rain hammered away at him, Giotto just sat there. His mind was a maze of thoughts, and everything was full of sorrow. Giotto brushed off the dirt on his sleeves and stood up. He was just about to walk inside when a thought invaded his mind. _Are you really going to put up with this? _All of a sudden, Giotto stopped. _Why am I here? __Why do I suffer constant pain day after day for nothing? __What is this? _Giotto knew that people cared for him in this world. His parents had loved him with all their heart. Lady Garcia was just like a mother to him, and almost everyday, Giotto would look in the mirror and let loose a long heart laugh. He didn't hate his life. It just wasn't _enough_ for him. It was at that moment that Giotto realized he had to do something. If this was a regret in the future, it was a chance he was going to take.

So he ran. He ran without stopping, unsure whether or not this was a good idea, but not caring. He ran out the gate of the adoption home. _Don't stop! Don't turn around! _The blonde boy ran wildly, unaware of where he was or where he was going. Cars drove past him, and he could hear the shout of many children. It was a long time before Giotto stopped. By now his body gave in to exhaustion, and he panted heavily and kneeled on his side.

Giotto was in a forest. It was dark now and the moonlight seeped through the trees, casting a shadow on his face. The blonde boy looked around at his surroundings, and only saw trees and and grass. Crickets chirped loudly, and bugs crawled around the moist earth, still wet from the rain. Pacing himself slowly, Giotto walked down a narrow dirt path, leaning on to oak trees and branches for support. Giotto walked slowly, and shuddered at the cold. His vest was soaking wet, and he had only shorts on. Just as the blonde boy was about to retire himself to exhaustion he realized something.

_Yes._

The blonde boy looked ahead, and saw a small cottage made out of makeshift bricks. _Should I knock? _Limping, Giotto walked up to the wooden door and knocked. Sounds could be heard from inside the house. "Honey, go get the door." A woman's voice. "Yeah, mom. But who could it be?" Giotto was startled when the door swung open. Inside, stood a red-haired boy, shocked. "C-Can I-I come in?" Giotto stammered.

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**Keep on reading, and sending those reviews. :)**

**Thanks,**

**xDarkTempest**


	4. With Hope

**Hi. This is the fourth chapter of Giotto's Memories. The previous chapter has been edited a little (more detail). I appreciate reviews and constructive criticism. Thanks to "Reidluver" and "Kajune" for being the first two to review for this story. You guys rock! Anyways I'm going to stop so you guys can read on. Also, thanks to Hajimeru Rinko for great advice! Note: Any confusion with previous chapters I apologize for. Message me if there are any questions. The original first chapter has been made into 3 short chapters. The second chapter is the fourth chapter. I will update twice a week, excluding editing and things. Please feel free to message me or email if you need me to reclarify something.**

**Thanks.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn or any of the characters in it.**

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The red-haired boy just stood there standing, mouth open in shock. Rain continued to fall down, and a cool breeze made the blonde shiver. Giotto waited patiently, wrapping his arms around himself for warmth. "Honey, who is it?" the woman's voice called out after a while. Footsteps could be heard, and soon the lady was at the door. "Who is this?" she asked. "M-mom, I don't know. But he's asking if he can come in." The woman looked at Giotto. "Well, sure, come inside. It's small, but make yourself comfortable." She beckoned for Giotto to come inside, but he hesitated. "Oh, just come in!" she grabbed the blonde boy's arm and led him into a tiny kitchen.

A kettle was placed on a stove, and two small chairs and a table were clumsily arranged next to it. "Thank you," Giotto said. "Don't mention it," she replied. The red-haired boy walked in and stared curiously at him. "That's G.," the woman said, pointing at the redhead. "And I'm Elena, his mom. So what brings you into the forest at this time of night?" There were several moments of silence in the small room.

All of a sudden tears burst down Giotto's face, and he told them everything. His life, his heart, everything the blonde boy had experienced was poured out in a rush of his parents had died, how he had been teased and bullied, everything. It was a long time before he finished. G. had pulled up an old bucket as a chair, and Elena had a sad look on her face. By now, Giotto had his head in his hands, and was sobbing. The three of them just stood there for some time.

Elena motioned for G. to get some hot tea for the blonde boy. She didn't have to though. The red-head had already gotten a tray out and a cup of water. G. patted Giotto's back, and handed him the cup. The blonde boy looked up and accepted it. "Thank you." "No problem." Elena cut in. "Well, Giotto. We'd love to have you here, but sadly…" The mother looked down at the floor. "We don't have much money and it's hard for us to make do as it is."

Giotto immediately realized something. He looked at G. and Elena. They were both wearing poorly made clothing, with a lot of cuts and scratches. The house was extremely small, with only a tiny kitchen and a lean-to bedroom. And the cup he was drinking from had a chip on the edge. _These people can't even eat, yet they welcomed me in! _Giotto's eyes widened. "I-I'm s-so sorry Ms. Elena. I'll be leaving now." The blonde boy put down the cup, and stood up. He was ready to walk out the door when…

"Wait, Mom! He can stay for one day, right? I mean you're not going to send him out in the rain at night right?" G. pleaded. Giotto stopped, and Elena sighed. "Very well, but our house is so small. I'm afraid he'll have to sleep in the kitchen." The blonde boy's face lightened up. "Thank you so much Ms. Elena. This means a lot to me," he said. "All right. Well get yourself ready to bed. Sorry, but you'll have to sleep on a thin sheet. Giotto nodded. G. seemed pretty happy. "Thanks, mom."

30 minutes later

(Dedicate this next paragraph to Hajimeru Rinko, who suggested the following extra details. Thanks :))

Giotto laid on his make-do matress, which felt very hard and not comfortable. His pillow was stuffed full of old newspapers. He tossed and turned, trying to find a comfortable position to sleep in, but finally resorted to look up at the sky. There were holes in the ceiling, but it didn't matter. This way, the blonde boy could look at the stars. Giotto loved stars. Their shine is full of happiness, and they always seemed to smile. Stars are full of expectations, and are lanterns in the dark night. He sat there for a long time, waiting, watching, and thinking about nothing in particular. It was a while before Giotto closed his eyes, and fell asleep, smiling.

"_Mommy! Hurry up!" it was a young boy's shout. _"_Just a second Giotto! Wait up!" a woman panted and tried to keep up with her son. _"_He's always full of energy isn't he?" a man's voice. __The three of them lay down on the emerald green grass. __Around them were beautiful pine trees, glistening a light turqoise color in the moonlight. __Crickets sang a beautiful melody, and wild birds challenged them in song. _"_Look son, it's the Big Dipper, remember, and there-" the father went on for some time. __The young blonde boy could only nod energetically, and soon… he closed his eyes too, and leaning against his father and mother, drifted asleep._

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**So how is it? Sorry for the terrible grammatical mistakes, I was writing this in a rush. Don't worry. in about 2-3 chapters the next guardian will appear. Can you guess who? I think it's pretty obvious. If you took your time to read this, thank you thank you thank you so much. If you took you're time to write a review, I really really appreciate that. It's the whole reason I write stories, so other's can read them. Reviews are especially encouraging, and I spend a lot of time replying to them. **

**_Thanks,_**

**_xDarkTempest_**


	5. Friendship

**Thanks for all who read my story. You guys are the best! I'm sorry this is a late update, but I've been pretty busy lately. **

**People who are awesome and reviewed:**

**Jigglypuff's Pillow**

**Mushroom Ninja**

**Kajune**

**Reidluver**

**Those are my main reviewers so thanks!**

**Anyways, I decided to make Giotto a lot happier starting now. He was just depressed back then, but he's met a friend.**

**To those who add my story and my name to your favorites list thanks so much. I really appreciate all the encouragement. This chapter will be longer, so it will satisfy you guys. Please review and tell me what needs to be done or added. I've taken a couple reviewers advice, and made it a tiny bit more detailed. Also, reviews make me feel really happy, and I feel like each review is one step more to me becoming a better writer.**

**So, Enjoy!**

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The blonde boy woke up from his sleep, and yawned. Giotto rubbed his eyes with one hand, and slowly stood up. Sunlight streamed in through the holes in the ceiling, casting shadows on the dirty flooring. Water dripped down, and the boy could see that tiny puddles of rainwater were already beginning to surround him. Brushing the dirt of his arms, Giotto began to neatly fold the worn-out blanket (sheet), and place the pillow sheet full of old newspapers on top. He was startled by the sound of footsteps, and looked up to see G. "Hey, good morning! I see you've finally woken up. We thought you were in a coma or something." the red-haired boy called out.

The blonde boy grinned shyly and replied, "Thanks. I really appreciate your help and Ms. Elena's too. It's early so I think I'll be on my way now." They stood there in utter silence for a little bit, and a cool breeze made both of them shiver.

G. just looked at Giotto and frowned. "Can't you stay a bit longer?" he thought of an excuse. "I mean…you haven't really payed for your stay." Giotto began to worry. He didn't have any money on him, but he couldn't just not pay them.

"I…um…sorry, but I don't have anything at all…" the blonde boy explained, fishing in his pockets to prove his point. "But I can go out to make some money, and then I'll be able to pay you bac…" Giotto was interrupted by G.

"N-no no sorry that's not what I meant. Not pay us in money…but maybe you could help us out in the garden a little?" the red-haired boy asked hopefully.

Giotto seemed happy that he had the chance to do something for them, even it was just something small. "I'd be delighted to help!"

" All right. Follow me then."

The blonde boy followed G. down a small rock path outside of the tiny cottage. Around him were beautiful roses, with many different colors. Ruby red, golden yellow, and perfect white. The air was a world of melodies. Crickets chirped, and a blue bird joined in song, perching on a brown nest, woven out of straws and grass. The duet was such beauty to Giotto's ears. Hummingbirds floated around, nibbling at the occasional flower, and bees collected honey for their hive. Walking a little farther, the two boys arrived at the vegetable garden. Giotto gasped in shock.

"You like it, huh?" was G.'s happy response.

Tomato plants, potato plants, cabbages, watermelons, pumpkins, squashes, and so much more were scattered around the rich soil. A wooden gate was full of gorgeous vines, draping around the holes, and blossoming flowers. The baby blue sky was littered with lazy, drifting clouds, hiding an amazing orange sun. After standing there for quite some time, G. grabbed Giotto's hand and pulled him down the path.

"Come on, there's this really cool place I've found!"

The blonde boy ran to keep up, and was amazed at what he saw.

A crystalline river flowing through the lush forest, was surrounded by tall rocks and dense bushes. That wasn't all. Many fish swimming through jumped out of the cool water, splashing both of them. Their fins sparkled in the sunlight, and Giotto could have sworn one smiled at him.

"These are really tasty fish," G. explained. "I have my ol' fishing rod here, and if I get lucky, we'll be able to eat a really fabulous lunch!" he held up an long, smooth stick, proudly. Attached to the end of the stick was a long string.

Giotto hadn't noticed it, so it seemed G. had left it on the ground here. The blonde boy nodded happily, and replied, "Great!"

"There's not that many fish here, but if we move a bit further down, they'll be swarming like bugs!" the red-haired boy said.

Both of them walked steadily along the river, until G. stopped. "Here it is!"

Then, cautiously, he began to climb onto a tall rock with curved slits in it. Inserting his hand and feet into the holes, the red-haired boy finally made it up. G. motioned for Giotto to come, but the blonde boy wasn't so enthusiastic. Giotto had never been so good at sports, and was pretty clumsy. This rock climbing thing meant death for him.

The red-haired boy noticed his unease, and quickly thought of an idea. "Hey, come on, it's all right. I'll help you up!"

Hesitating, Giotto began to slowly climb up the rock edge, and was a few steps away from the top when his hand slipped.

One hand on the top, the rest of his body about to fall, Giotto began to panic. Right as he was about to plummet down, a hand caught him, and pulled him up.

G. smiled as the blonde boy's head appeared, and slowly began to pull him up.

"Man you're heavy!" he said.

Giotto could only laugh, and thank him.

The red-haired boy picked up his rod, and motioned for the blonde to watch him. "Look, this is how I'm going to catch it," he said, pulling a dead cockroach out of one of his pockets, and using a needle and thread to tie it to the rod. "This will ensure that the bait probably won't be washed away with the current. I normally don't catch anything, but it's fun to try!"

As G. began to wait for the fish to bite, a grinning Giotto watched him, bathing in the sunlight.

The two of them sat there, not saying anything, but waiting and watching. It must have been only about 15 minutes before the red-haired boy got impatient. "Dang these stinkin' fish! Ain't a single thing we can do!"

At the moment he said that, a ripple in the water, and a tug signaled G. that a fish had latched onto the hook.

"It's a big one!" he shouted. "You're going to have to help me lure it up!"

Giotto quickly began tugging on the string, using all his power to try and help him catch the fish. Surprisingly, the string was very strong, and the two boys managed to pull it up.

Wiping the sweat off his forehead, G. laughed loudly. "Yes! Giotto, look! We got it!"

The blonde boy's eyes were wide open in amazement. But not at the fish. It had been the first time somebody had called him by his actual name in a long time.

Suddenly, the fish started flailing about, startling Giotto. All of a sudden, he lost his balance, and fell down into the river.

G. gasped and shouted loudly. "GRAB ONTO OF THE ONE BRANCHES!"

The current was not very strong, Giotto had to admit, but neither was he. Kicking with all his might, he pushed his way to the surface, and grabbed onto a nearby branch.

"Pull yourself up!" the red-haired boy said.

Slowly, but surely, Giotto began to grab onto the branch, and pulled himself up. Panting loudly, he began to crawl towards the other side of the river, and jumped onto the grass. G. was on the ground, waiting for him, fish in hand. "Glad you're alive Giotto!" he said happily. It was at that moment the blonde haired boy felt something he had forgotten to feel. Clasping his hand tightly, he looked up and smiled at G. Giotto had forgotten to laugh an honest laugh. He had forgotten to smile a real smile. But this time, Giotto did. He smiled, and then began laughing out loud. G. seemed to be confused, but nevertheless he too began to laugh. They lay on the grass, laughing for a long time, until the sun reached it's highest point in the sky. This was something the blonde boy just remembered to do, and feel.

This was true friendship.

Both of them began to stand up, and Giotto helped pull G. up. Smiling, they began to head back to the cottage, holding the still squirming fish and the fishing rod. The fish was a beauty of a sight, and it was enormous. The blonde boy had never eaten or even seen such a big one. When they finally arrived in the garden, G. came and quickly pulled out 3 small tomatoes and a garlic.

"For later," he said.

Inside, Elena was cleaning up the house, and was surprised to see the two.

"Mom! Giotto and I caught a really big fish! Can you cook it for lunch?" the red-haired boy asked excitedly.

"Well of course, that's great honey! And Giotto-" she didn't have time to finish the sentence, when the blonde cut it.

"I'm sorry Ms. Elena, but I felt I had to repay you somehow, so I decided to help him G. in the garden, and catch the fish." Giotto explained.

Elena didn't need to hear more. She pulled the boy into a big embrace, and her smile was as wide as a dinner plate.

"That's not what I wanted to say. I'm just so proud of you both for becoming friends."

_Friends._

Yes, that's what they were, and that's how it would be.

"So what say you guys, we make a fire, and cook this thing up?" Elena said.

"Yeah!" the two boys shouted in unison.

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**Okay, I have to apologize. I wanted to make this chapter longer, but I didn't want to make it too long, so I was wondering whether or not I should continue. To Jigglypuff's Pillow: I did make the chapters longer, and Giotto isn't as emo as he was before. He's made a friend, so it should be better now. Next chapter will be up tomorrow. I'm pretty sure. Reviews greatly appreciated. Even constructive criticism. Sorry about the one liners, one of my reviewers told me to seperate what people say into different lines. There was a lot of dialogue this chapter. I aplogize again.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own KHR or any of the characters. "Giotto's memories" is purely for entertainment purposes only. Please support the official release/update! :):):)**

**Thanks.**

**xDarkTempest**


	6. Departing

**Hello everyone! Sorry for the late update. I intended for this to be for you guys Sunday morning, but it ended up being Monday. This chapter is pretty sad, and I'm glad for the two reviews I got the previous chapter. Thank you guys! Enjoy!**

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_Giotto's Memories_

"Hey you boys! I need some help!" Elena called out. She was currently picking some extra vegetables, for the meal they were preparing.

"Sure mom!" G. called out. Him and Giotto were running along the dirt path, collecting flat stones and broken sticks.

Sweat ran down the blonde boy's forehead, and he grinned. The sun had gone down a bit, but the sky was as blue as ever. Butterflies floated about, flying above the trees and the garden. Both the boys walked up to Elena. "Ms. Elena, G. and I collected the things for the fire. Here you go." Giotto dropped the stones and sticks on the ground.

"That's good. Today we're going to have a feast!" Elena responded. "We normally don't get fish, because well… I can't catch anything, and G. is well, he sometime-" G.'s face turned red at this. It was true. He normally didn't catch a single fish. Today was one of those better days.

"Well, anyways!" Elena continued, changing the subject. "Once a month, G. and I head out to the farmer's market. It's pretty far away, so we don't go there often. Since our garden is full of vegetables and flowers, we trade them for some salt and Italian spices. The herbs are saved for special meals." She pulled out a package with a thin piece of rope tied around the top.

G. rubbed his hands together in excitement, and Giotto felt the need to smile too.

Elena paused for dramatic effect and continued. "You guys start the fire, and we'll use vegetables and spices to give the fish some flavor." She untied the bag, and went inside the cottage. Moments later, she appeared with a worn-out steel pot and three long sticks. Two of the sticks had ends sticking out, making it look like a "Y" shape. The other stick was longer, but more rounded and sturdy.

"Those are for-" G. was about to ask, but Elena cut off. "I need to make a fire, so these sticks will work. Now you guys… Hurry up and try to start the fire." Giotto and G. nodded, gave each other a brief look, and sat down on the dirt ground. They tried bashing the rocks together, scraping them against each other, and even slashing them.

They kept at it for 10 hard, long, sweaty minutes. After more of this hard work with no results, G. threw down his rocks in frustration, and sighed. "I give up…" Elena was inside busy cutting the fish, and preparing the ingredients.

The red-haired boy stood there in disappointment, and looked at his friend. Giotto was busy hitting the rocks together, a determined expression on his face. Eyes tightly closed together, he continued to hit the rocks against each other, sweat running down his brow.

They both sat there. G. watching the blonde boy try and fail, and try again. Giotto's hands were numb from his work, and his skin began to peel. It was a while before G. stood up in aggravation. "This probably isn't going to wo-" In that moment, a spark popped out from the rock in Giotto's hand. Both of them gasping, the blonde boy quickly hit the rocks together harder, until a larger spark appeared. Throwing it down on the ground, he quickly surrounded it with some dry grass. G. collected some broken twigs and leaves and rushed over. By now, the fire was larger, and the two of them dumped on the things. The flames licked the earth, satisfied at it's meal.

Elena came out, holding the sliced fish in one hand, and the ingredients in the other. "You guys finally got the fire! That's-" G. interrupted her.

"It was Giotto who did it! He's so amazing. After I gave up, he kept on hacking away at the rock, his hand bleeding. But he did it!" the red-haired boy announced. Giotto looked down at the ground, his face as red as a tomato, embarrassed by the praise.

"That's great! Come on, G. help me with the pot and sticks. Giotto you can take a break for now." Elena said. G. helped her shove the sticks into the ground with the "Y" shape. Then, placing the longer stick on those sticks, Elena tied some rope onto it, which was also connected to the pot. Afterwards, they placed the fish in, slowly adding things onto it.

Diced tomato, a sliced onion, a clove of garlic, and also some salt, pepper, and paprika were tossed in for taste. Soon, the smell of fresh fish wafted into Giotto's nose, making his mouth water. It wasn't long before the boys' stomachs growled, and everybody laughed. A group of ants were also attracted to the crumbs of food on the ground. They walked in a line, picking up grains of salt and pepper.

Elena passed out three broken plates, with some rusted forks. She also gave out some bread pieces. "For the soup," she said. The two boys could hardly keep in their excitement, and even Elena seemed to be happy. The three of them dug in the "fish stew", and ate it happily. "So… Giotto? How did you manage to make the fire?" Elena asked over a mouthful of food.

Giotto could only smile, and look at the ground. He finally responded. "I don't know… I felt the need to keep trying. I mean, after all you two did for me. First Ms. Elena letting me stay, and G. caught a big fish. I think it was… I think it was resolution that kept me going."

G. slurped up some of the hot fish broth. "Resolution, huh? Whatever it is, I've got to thank you. This fish is delicious!" the red-haired boy wiped his mouth, and licked his lips, using the last bit of bread to mop up the soup, leaving his plate so clean you didn't have to wash it. "I'm full, but there's a lot of leftovers. Let's save it for some other day, mom!"

After they enjoyed the meal for the last few minutes, Giotto decided to say something. "Um… Thanks so much Ms. Elena and G. for your hospitality. You've done so much for me. Please forgive me for not being able to give anything to you, but I will come back someday and repay you guys… I have to go though."

Elena and G. exchanged a glance and both of them nodded. "Giotto," Elena started to say. "We've decided you've become part of our small family. You're welcome to stay here. And this is also the first time G. has made a friend, so you don't have to go." The red-haired boy could only nod his head in agreement.

"Thank you so much Ms. Elena," Giotto responded. "I know if I really worked hard for you guys, I would be able to stay. But I also want to experience the new world. It's one of the reasons I left the adoption home. I want to adventure everything that is out there. Everything I've missed all these years." They could tell the blonde boy was trying not to cry.

"We understand," Elena said, but G. hesitated. He had never made a friend before, and now when he finally made one, they would have to depart.

"Thank you so much for understanding. I'll have to go now." Giotto said.

G. was about to ask "What's the rush?", but Elena hushed him. The two of them could only watch in sadness as the first guest they've ever had left their home.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Giotto walked down the rugged dirt path. Rocks littered the edges of the trail, and brown grass grew near some trees.

He didn't want to do it. He never wanted to leave. Everything they had done. Nobody had treated him as well as Elena as G. They were like family to him. It was true that his family had passed away and left him. But it wasn't their fault. He… he Giotto wanted a family of his own. Someday…

Pacing himself along the road, the blonde boy bit his lip and frowned. He had experienced pain already with his parents dying. Giotto never wanted to feel it again.

All of a sudden, a sound could be heard in the bush behind him. It was dark, and there was no moon this night. Scared Giotto muttered out a sound. "W-who's t-there?"

A boy in tattered clothing appeared behind him. The blonde boy immediately thought it was a ghost and screamed. "Calm down! It's me!"

That voice. It was familiar. Giotto smiled. "G.! What are you doing here?"

The red-haired boy's grinned from ear to ear. "I followed you. I decided to follow you on your journey. After all, we're friends, right?"

The blonde boy smiled. "Yes, we're friends."

The two of them walked together down the dirt path, each one of them not saying a word, but thinking the same thing.

_Friendship_

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**Good? Or not? I kind of liked this chapter, but mainly because it talked about food. I thought the last part was a bit short for my liking, but I hope you guys enjoyed it. Please Review! I also have another story called "Hitman Reborn Interview Swap". Some of you guys might like it. You get to ask your own questions, and I'll write them down on the story. You will be making an appearance in my story. Oh yeah! Surprise! I am accepting… yes… wait for it… OC's! Yep. The mafia thing will only happen a little later, but I'm creating a new family. I'm going to probably make a Sky boss. The reviewers get to say the name, flame, type of person, age, and stuff for the family. Remember, I will only be taking six guardians. The best description, and the one I like most will go into the family. Your pen name will be mentioned so they will know it's your character. If you see someone else that already named a flame you want, then if you write your description, there's a lower chance you'll get in. Oh yeah. This family might go in another story, and might make a minor appearance in this one. Remember, I might make a sequel. The OC family will be an evil family. I need some OC' s people!**

**Thanks,**

**xDarkTempest**


	7. Into the Wilderness

**Sorry for the late update. I've been extremely busy lately. Also, it's kind of disappointing to see that nobody wants to submit OC's. I beg to you! Please send in Flame types, Character names, personalities, weapons, and traits/bloodline. They will definitely be included in this story. Also, I will give thanks to everybody who submitted them in my story. Anyways, enjoy!**

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_Giotto's Memories_

The two boys walked through the dense forest, sweat falling down their faces.

Giotto collapsed on his knees and began panting. "Where are we?" the blonde boy asked, swatting at the mosquitoes surrounding him.

"If only I knew…" G. responded, looking around at his surroundings.

It was fully nighttime now, and Giotto shivered at the cold. He was really glad that G. had accompanied him. This place was extremely creepy.

"Should we make camp?" the blonde boy asked expectantly.

"Yeah, but let's find our way out of this forest. It's giving me the creeps."

Giotto nodded in agreement, and the two boys walked farther on, moving closer towards each other. Lots of sounds could be heard around them. The _hoot-hoot_ of an owl, and the noise of a squirrel running through a bush. There was barely any light around the area and it didn't help that there was no moon tonight.

"There!" G. called out.

Giotto immediately looked up, and saw a thin exit from the forest. As they walked closer in excitement, they could see many European style houses made out of clay and bricks, and a large path that connected them together.

The two of them stood there in silence. "What should we do?" the blonde asked.

His throat was dry and raspy from walking so far without water and his lips were parched.

"Don't know. Let's just try to take shelter somewhere near one of the lawns, but not too close." G. answered.

They both moved a bit closer towards the small village, and settled near a patch of solid ground under a group of trees. The area hadn't been rained on due to the protection from above, and there was a jagged rock jutting out from a slope. Giotto noticed it and motioned for his friend to follow him. They crawled under the makeshift cliff and shivered from the cold. A gust of chill air abruptly hit the place, bouncing off the rock and shaking the leaves.

"So… Cold…" the blonde boy muttered, biting his lower lip and rocking back and forth.

G. closed his eyes and nodded then slowly stood up. "I'm going to get some things to try and make a 'tent'. You can stay here and maybe make this place a bit cleaner."

Rubbing his hands, the red-haired boy walked off, the sound of his footsteps quiet compared to the forest. Giotto pulled himself closer towards the edge of the stone and sighed. A memory flashed into his mind, and because it was a happy one he let himself remember.

Camping…

"_Son, it's time for us to get out now," a man said in a deep voice._

_A woman sitting next to him gently lay Giotto down and smiled at him, closing her eyes._

_The sound of the horses clacking hooves stopped, and the carriage groaned at the weight. The carriage was beautiful. It was made by Giotto's own father and it took quite some time. __Carved onto the wooden walls were pictures of the family together and a beautiful crest his father created himself, emblazoned onto the ceiling. _

_Stepping off the carriage, the family grabbed their things and walked along a dirt trail. __"Son, this is how you make a tent with fabric and you should always bring a picni-"_

"Giotto!" the blonde boy felt his shoulders being shaken and he rubbed his eyes. He looked up to see G. hovering over him and grinning.

"What happened?" Giotto asked. He was a lot more tired after his little daydream than before.

"You fell asleep," the red-haired boy replied. "I brought some stuff from the forest that I found. At first I didn't want to wake you up, but after realizing that you wouldn't wake up anyways, I began to make camp."

It was at that moment Giotto realized a fire was crackling in front of him. "Y-you… you did it!" he exclaimed.

"Nah. It wasn't that hard," G. turned his head the other way, smiling modestly. He proceeded to throw some dry leaves onto the sizzling flames, making them larger. "But I need a little help with these small logs I found," he said, pointing towards a pile of large wood he had found.

Giotto nodded and began to walk over to the small clearing where they were placed. He stopped in his tracks to look up at the sky. Stars were scattered all over the night, shining brightly at the place where Giotto stood standing. The blonde boy tried to grab hold of the log, but it was too heavy. Giotto continued to use his shirt to hold it up, but it ended up slipping and almost landing on his foot.

By now Giotto broke into a cold sweat and he sneezed. G. came rushing over from finding little branches, asking him if he needed help. "No thanks. I have to do this myself." the blonde boy responded resolutely.

He proceeded to pick up a log with both hands, grabbing onto the rough spots for the most friction and support. Grunting, Giotto tried to pick it up, and even managed it a couple feet before dropping it immediately. He proceeded in this fashion, only moving a log for a couple feet at one time, then dropping it as if it were a boulder. It was a while before Giotto carried it back to the rock and placed it gently onto the ground.

G. was dusting the place, and shooing a couple of dragonflies and spiders away from their campsite. By now they had a good amount of things to keep the fire going, and the small log they had was blocking off a bit of the cold. They continued in this manner for a little bit, until when Giotto placed his second log on the ground, G. told him to stop.

"I-I can keep g-going." the blonde boy panted loudly.

"No, you're injured. Look at your hands." G. insisted.

It was true. Giotto's hands were covered with scratches and bruises. A lot of places on his arm were peeled off and bleeding. The pressure of the logs were hurting him. It didn't matter though. The two large barriers were suffice for keeping the cold out, if only for one night. The two of them had arranged the things in a neat way on top of each other, to make the most use out of it.

"Where did you find those logs?" Giotto asked. "And how did you lug them over here?"

G. sighed and continued placing more things on the fire. "I found them only a couple feet away from where they are now. I think somebody was planning on using them, but got too tired to carry them home."

The blonde boy began to feel uncomfortable. "Isn't that stealing?" he wondered nervously.

"I guess, but if you think about it we're not doing anything to harm others intentionally. We'll find a way to repay whoever did cut those things down if we have the supplies. Besides, we're not taking more than we need. It's not like we want the logs, but it's just that we need them to keep us warm and protect us, right? I mean, aren't we using them to protect one another even if it is stealing?" G. explained, trying to reassure Giotto, and it seemed trying to reassure himself.

"I guess your right," Giotto croaked, feeling better and letting out a breath of relief. His lips were cracked, and his throat dry and hoarse.

"Sorry," G. said noticing his voice. "I don't have any water, but I brought some food." The red-haired boy took out a loaf of bread and some fish from his sack. "The leftovers and some more. Mom let me take some spices, vegetables, and a little bit of our meat."

Giotto looked at the food hungrily and his stomach growled. G. crammed a bit of fish and lettuce into a piece of bread and folded it, handing it to the blonde boy. The two of them ate in silence, enjoying their sandwich, but not wanting to eat too fast, savoring every bite. It was only a little bit before they both finished, and fell asleep.

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**Sorry for the extremely late update. I've been pretty busy lately. If you like OC pairings you might enjoy my other story titled, "A Golden Sun, A Bright Moon" HibarixOC and MukuroxOC (Sorry Frost190). Expect the next update within this week. **

**Happy Holidays! (Whether it be Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hannukah, or Kawanza?)**

**And Happy Fanfictioning!**

**xDarkTempest**


	8. Lorenzo's Trickiness

**HAHA! Yay! I got two OC's submitted by 'Reidluver' and 'Hikari no Kaze'. Sorry for those other readers, but these two OC's will definitely be submitted in my story because I like them a lot. Reidluver's OC's name is Lorenzo Mancini. (A/N: ALERT! THIS CHAPTER IS GOING TO BE ABOUT LORENZO. Just for this chapter only.) He is going (not yet currently in any family) to be Mist Flame attribute. Hikari no Kaze's OC will be revealed in the next chapter.**

**Enjoy this chapter about Lorenzo Mancini.**

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Lorenzo crunched into the last bite of his apple, enjoying the taste and flavor, then calmly threw the core on the cobblestone street. He walked along the busy road, the sound of carriages and horses hooves beating against the ground. The sky was a dark blue color and storm clouds were scattered over the sky.

Throwing his tattered cloak over his head Lorenzo walked a bit farther and took shade under a store. Above him was a sign reading, 'JEWEL SHOP'. Grinning, the boy proceeded to open the door slowly and a wind chime signaled a new guest. For the store owner, that most likely meant more money.

Beautiful jewels hung over the ceiling and in different varieties of boxes. Emeralds, saphires, rubies, gems, diamonds… there were all types of precious items. A fat, sweaty man behind a counter looked up and saw Lorenzo. "My, my… A new customer… Please come in," he said greedily.

The extremely intelligent boy sighed and looked down at the floor so his face was hidden by his cloak. "Scusi moi Signor-" before Lorenzo could finish talking he tripped and fell down on the tile floor, getting water and dirt all over the store.

"Hey you idiot! Those are expensive! Get up and leave before you get everything dirty!" the man barked loudly, glaring at him.

Lorenzo barely batted an eye, but he stood up and apologized. "Sorry Signore. I don't have any gold, but my family is in trouble. May I please have a jewel?"

The impatient man's face was now as red as a tomato. "What!" he demanded. "Get out of here you dog!" the fat man continued to take out a stick from his shirt. "Scram! Get out!"

Lorenzo closed his eyes and smirked. All was going as according to plan. "Oh look Signore!" he said innocently. "I have money! I remember Nana gave them to me to buy groceries." the boy pulled out a enormously large bag of coins from his cloak and shoved it in the man's face.

In an instant the greedy man was drawn to the bag and he held it in his hands, throwing it back and forth, enjoying the sound of money clinking against each other. "Sorry young boy. Is there anything you would like to purchase from this shop?" the man said quickly.

"Only one jewel," Lorenzo replied. "These should compensate for a small ruby right, Signore?"

"Of course, of course," the man muttered. _This kid is really an idiot!_ He couldn't believe his luck. All this money for a tiny ruby.

Just as he was about to get the jewel, Lorenzo ran around the shop, knocking things over and grabbing as many diamonds as he could, shoving them into a sack.

"Hey! Hey! What are you doing?" the man asked angrily.

By this time, the boy was already at the door and he ran out laughing evilly. The fat man was close behind, but he was in no athletic condition to chase after him. Regardless, the store owner ran after the young boy, his money bag still in the shop.

Big mistake.

In a moment the money bag detonated, destroying everything in the shop. The man was too confused to understand what happened. People went wild on the streets, grabbing pieces of jewels and pearls as they went flying out of the once new store.

Meanwhile, Lorenzo could only watch and smirk at the amusing sight. He pulled out a metal staff and quickly changed his appearance into an old man. Continuing along the street, the 'old man' smiled at the sight of the disaster. A few policeman on horses had run over to the store, telling people to quiet down and explain.

_Let's make some more disaster!_ thought Lorenzo as he walked along the road, throwing jewels on the ground every now and then.

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**You like? I don't know if I got the character right. It's all up to Reidluver to decide. If you don't understand I will explain… soon! Anyways, sorry this chapter was off topic, but Giotto and G. will come in the next one. I'm so glad at the amount of reviews I got. Even though there aren't that many, I'm just glad people are reading my story. Thanks so much! You guys are the best! Sorry once again for the weird chapter, but I told Reidluver I would make one.**

**For Reidluver: Do you want me to change the chapter if you don't like it? Tell me what you want and don't want.**

**4 more OC's are being accepted.**

**Rain, Cloud, Lightning, Storm**

**I have Sky, Mist, and Sun (Hikari no Kaze's OC is sun)**

**That means 4 more available spots! If you tell me now, it's most definitely going to be included.**

**Thank you,**

**xDarkTempest**


	9. Suprised

**Awesomeness! I got 5 OC's. Sadly, I like every single one of them, so they will be used! But there is only one spot left: Storm. After this chapter, I will do a chapter on "Hi Hikari No Kaze's OC", which is Sun flame. Here are the current OC submissions given to me by reviewers. THANK YOU ALL!**

**Submitted by Reidluver:**

**Name: Lorenzo Mancini  
****Flame: Mist Flame type  
****Weapon: A Metal Retractable Staff  
****Gender: Male  
****Ability: Can use illusions freely and control other people  
****Likes: Tricking people, Panthers, Italian Food, Gaining an advantage over others  
****Dislikes: Being Captured (Right?) and used, Fires (Big or small)**

**Submitted by Hi Hikari No Kaze:**

**Name: Aria Freesea (Originally known as Lytzare)  
****Flame: Sun Flame type  
****Weapon: Dual Swords  
****Gender: Female  
****Ability: The power to heal others (Sorry, I made that up)  
****Likes: Adventure, Friendship, Drawing, Dandelions, and more  
****Dislikes: Girly Stuff, Formal things, Anything not fun, Snakes**

**Submitted by Frost190:**

**Name: Regno Adalberth Demoniaco (Correct?)  
****Flame: Cloud Flame type  
****Weapon: Special Chains and Dying Will Resistance Black-Sword  
****Gender: Male  
****Ability: Able to control poisonous snakes and speak to them  
****Likes: Keeping to himself, reading, strong people, dark colors  
****Dislikes: Weak, Naïve, Noisy People, Jokes (Is like Hibari?)**

**Submitted by Fujisaki Nadeshiko:**

**Name: Caterina Alba  
****Flame: Rain Flame type  
****Weapon: A Rod  
****Gender: Female  
****Ability: Can change her Rain Flame into Ice Flames and use icicles  
****Likes: Reading, Sleeping- Secret likes: To Dance, Sing, Chocolate  
****Dislikes: People that are cruel, Weak Jokes**

**Submitted by ZiaLiaLis:**

**Name: Nina Lorraine  
****Flame: Lightning Flame type  
****Weapon: Sharp Lightning strings used to paralyze a person  
****Gender: Female  
****Ability: Is like a doll, emotionless and follows her masters command  
****(No Likes or Dislikes but has a long history)**

**History: Nina's father wanted to create the perfect doll with flames.  
****Because this was not possible, he seized the opportunity to use  
****Nina's body as a doll shell. Nina's arm was cut off by her father  
****and he replaced it with a doll arm (Extremely Creepy). Nina has  
****almost no personality, and the Mafia wanted to make use of her  
****when she was pretty young.**

**Wow, that was tiring. Sorry if I got anything wrong. Every other chapter will be an OC chapter. The ages of the characters should be around Giotto and G.'s ages. Sorry if you didn't want it that way, but it only makes sense. Since my Sky Boss will only be appearing in the last chapter, the others will already have made a one chapter appearance. Hopefully I will get my Storm one soon… I really liked all of the OC's submitted, and I need to thank everybody who read my story. Chapter 10 will be Aria, Chapter 12 will be Regno, Chapter 14 will be Caterina, Chapter 16 will be Nina. Thank you and enjoy the story!**

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Giotto woke up to the sound of a shouting man's voice. He slowly sat upright and looked around. The sky was beautiful today and a rainbow hung in the horizon. The logs they had moved yesterday were in the same position, but Giotto's hands were still scratched. The blood had dried up leaving large scars and bruises. It hurt when the blonde boy moved his hands too quickly and the cold wind didn't help at all.

_If only I had gloves,_ Giotto thought with a smirk.

He then nudged G. gently on the shoulder.

"Hm… what is it?" the red-haired boy asked lazily. His hair was ruffled sideways and it was quite a hilarious sight.

The blonde had to refrain from laughing out loud and he shook G. a bit harder. "Get up! The log people are here!" he whispered loudly.

The redhead immediately jumped up and looked from side to side. "Where?" he demanded.

Giotto grinned and G. sighed in defeat. "I was having a good dream. Why'd you wake me up?"

"Why do you think? I'm thirsty, so let's go find so water. Two people means twice as fast. Also, I'm as clumsy as a bear. So I kind of needed to trick you," the blonde haired boy answered.

"Fine… But where do you think we should start looking? There were mosquitoes yesterday, and where there's bugs, there's water." G. explained.

The sound of the man's voice grew louder and closer. Giotto flinched and hid behind the log, making him partially visible. He looked back at G, who's eyes were as wide as a tomato.

"You boys gonna come out there?" the man said.

XXXXXXX

G. didn't move a muscle. He closed his eyes pretending to be asleep, but the man was smarter than that.

"Hey, are these the logs I cut down yesterday? Why'd you kids take them from me?"

Giotto assumed he must be friendly because he hadn't shouted out at them in a very rough way.

"Sorry sir, we don't have a home to live in and it was very cold yesterday night. We needed some protection against the wind. We'll return the logs and do anything we can to help you." the blonde boy said.

G. nodded in agreement and frowned. "We didn't mean to steal sir. We planned on returning them right away."

The man's eyes grew large and there were several moments of silence. Giotto took this time to take in his appearance. He had darkish brown hair and a tanned skin. The man's hands were rough and callused so Giotto took it that he was a hard-worker and used his arms for work.

The man sighed and rubbed his hands together, then leaned on the log and sat down on the ground. He closed his eyes before talking. "My name's Otto. I'm a carpenter in this tiny village we live in. My job is to cut down logs and shape the wood into things. It's extremely tiring work and very difficult. I understand the predicament you boys are in, but the work needs to be done."

Giotto and G. nodded and stood up simultaneously. "We'll help you put the logs ba-" G. started to say, but was cut off by Otto.

"I have an idea," Otto said slowly, staring at the two boys in the eyes. "How 'bout you two boys first come help me with this wood. Then, after you're done help me haul all this back to my home. I'll let you two stay at my house and eat and sleep there if you offer me your help. Is it a deal?" he asked, stretching out his hand.

Giotto and G. looked at one another for a quick moment and smiled. "Deal," they said in unison, accepting Otto's handshake.

"All righty then!" the man responded, standing up. "Let's get this thing back!"

The rest of the hour was spent with the three of them grabbing onto the logs and placing them onto a cart with a horse at the front. Giotto was still tired from the work, but Otto was strong and he lifted everything with ease, barely batting an eye.

Beads of sweat began to fall down the two boys faces and in no time G.'s hands were also as worn-out as Giotto's. They didn't complain though, both of them wanted to set a good impression on the kind man who had offered them a place to stay. They had put all of the logs on the cart and were walking on their way home when Giotto began talking again. "It's very nice of you to give us a place to sleep Mr. Otto. We really appreciate that."

"Haha no worries. Our house was a bit too empty anyways. Besides you two are some good hard-workers. That's what should be in boys nowadays." Otto said, grabbing onto the horses' reigns.

Giotto and G. looked ahead, but both of them were smiling. The sun was up now and it's rays shined down on them, the heat hammering at their heads. It was not long before the three of them arrived at a large brick houses. There was a wooden fence squaring the perimeter of it, and a couple trees that grew inside.

Otto walked the cart over to a small wooden stable and placed it inside with the horse. "Come on you two," he said, rubbing his hands together. "Let's go inside."

The man fiddled in his overalls for something and pulled out a shiny key. After inserting it he opened the door and walked inside. The two boys followed suit and looked around. Even though the environment wasn't as good as G.'s backyard, the furniture was mostly new and in good condition. A couple of candles lit up the hallways, making the place seem a bit more cozy.

The sound of footsteps could be heard around the hallway and soon a young boy bounded around the corner and jumped up. "Dad! You're home! Dinner's ready!" the boy called out excitedly.

It was then he noticed Giotto and G., and without giving a curious glance, he walked towards them smiling.

"Hey," the boy said. "My name's Asari Ugetsu."

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**Yo yo yo. Like it? Love it? Hate it? Cruelty? Tell me how to improve, you don't even need to send it through a review. Sorry for the late update! Remember, only one more OC is allowed to be submitted. STORM FLAME!**

**Thanks,**

**xDarkTempest**


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